PREGNANCY
Our Voices Are Louder Together by Zoë Kornfeld
Peterborough and Hinchingbrooke Maternity Voice Partnership (or MVP) is an NHS working group: a mixture of individuals uniting with the shared goal of improving local maternity services. Led by two co-chairs, myself, Zoe Kornfeld, and Meghann Horner-Smith, with Hannah Pattison as our secretary and treasurer, the group includes service users, birth workers, doulas, service commissioners, and service providers such as midwives and doctors. Working in partnership, this group of men and women, review and develop local maternity care. Our work is heavily steered by feedback from those currently experiencing this care, and we are passionate about reaching out to those groups in our community who are less likely to be ‘heard’ due to location, ethnic background, or other external factors. The MVP acts as a ‘critical friend’ to the maternity department at North West Anglian Foundation Trust which covers Peterborough and Hinchingbrooke Hospitals, by supporting and driving change, through co-production, and joined-up thinking. This means consistently holding up a mirror to those making decisions about maternity care, and asking how things can be improved.
As you may already know, Coronavirus has made a huge impact on the experience of birthing women and their families. We all have experience of the many restrictions covid-19 has had on our lives recently, and there have been many changes made to maternity services, in order to protect those using it, and those working tirelessly within it. These changes have often been difficult to make, and it will be important going forward to see what lessons have been learned, as we enter our ‘new norm’. It has been the perfect time to reflect on what works well, and what could be improved. Safety restrictions have meant many changes, including antenatal appointments via phone or video, women being asked to attend scans without their partners, Midwife Led Units being relocated. Families have also found it a challenge being unable to support each other in the usual ways during this time – no baby showers, and getting broody together over a cuppa, and many are still waiting to introduce their new bundles to their loved ones. Everyone has had to adapt, and there has, of course, been much positivity shining through, however, and the strength and resilience of women as they give birth to their babies, never ceases to amaze me. We have been proud to share lots of positive birth stories filled with care, respect, compassion, and determination, during the last few months. continued >
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